Sean McVay - Pro Football Rumors

49ers To Interview Sean McVay, Vance Joseph

January 3rd, 2017 at 4:58pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay and Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph are the latest serious candidates to fill the 49ers’ head coaching vacancy. McVay will interview next Monday, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, and Joseph will also meet with the team sometime in the near future, tweets Rand Getlin.

If McVay were to land the job, the soon-to-be 31-year-old wunderkind would become the youngest head coach in the modern era. McVay, who has three years’ experience as a coordinator, teamed with head coach Jay Gruden to guide the Redskins to the NFL’s third-best total offense and a fifth-place DVOA ranking this season. The Rams are also targeting him as a result, though going to San Francisco – where his grandfather, John McVay, once thrived as an executive – would perhaps make for a more interesting story.

Unlike McVay, Joseph’s season isn’t over – the playoff-bound Dolphins will take on the Steelers in the wild-card round this weekend. Thus, it’s unclear when he’ll meet with the Niners. The Broncos will also interview Joseph, according to Getlin, while the Rams, Bills and Chargers have expressed interest in sitting down with him. Joseph, 44, is amid his first year as a defensive coordinator, one in which the Dolphins finished the regular season with unspectacular rankings in scoring (18th), DVOA (19th) and total defense (29th).

Rams To Interview Sean McVay

January 2nd, 2017 at 9:10am CST by Zachary Links

In a league that is continually going younger on the field, the Rams might take that trend to the sidelines and hire a babyfaced coach. Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay, who is still just 30 years old, will interview with the Rams this week, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. That meeting will likely go down on Thursday, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).

McVay is widely credited with developing Kirk Cousins into a top quarterback and the Rams are eyeing him as someone who could help groom Jared Goff into a franchise guy. Cousins himself has praised McVay for his leadership skills and offensive knowledge.

“I could be here a long time talking about Sean’s help in my development and his ability to call plays for our offense and lead our offense,” Cousins said in August. “In the 2015 offseason I was coming off a year when I had been benched halfway through and was going into the next year with the chance to really only compete as a backup. I was a little disappointed with that and Sean was a great encourager through that process, challenging me to stay the course. I think his belief in me and his support and his encouragement was what enabled me to eventually have the opportunities that I had.”

Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is also a likely interview candidate for Los Angeles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. All in all, the Rams are expected to interview 8-10 candidates.

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La Canfora’s Latest: Jaguars, Rams, Lions, Pats

December 25th, 2016 at 8:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars are expected to consider Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Mike Smith for head coach, a source tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, while Jacksonville could also express interest in a multitude of NCAA coaches, including Ole Miss’ Hugh Freeze. Previous reports have indicated that the Jaguars and GM Dave Caldwell could also look at New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Atlanta play-caller Kyle Shanahan, while Tom Coughlin will definitively interview for the job.

Here’s more from La Canfora:

The Rams aren’t only targeting high-profile names such as Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels for their head coaching vacancy, according to La Canfora, who reports that Los Angeles will also look at lesser-known options as it seeks to replace Jeff Fisher. Rams management thinks highly of offensive coordinators Sean McVay and Shanahan, per La Canfora, and will probably be involved in LA’s hunt.
While several coaching jobs are expected to come open at season’s end, NFL front offices likely won’t see many changes, writes La Canfora. Aside from 49ers general manager Trent Baalke, most executives are on solid ground, as even clubs with poor records such as the Browns, Bills, Rams, and Jaguars are likely to opt for stability among its decision-makers.
Although his offensive has succeeded in Detroit, Lions play-caller Jim Bob Cooter could miss out on head coaching gigs because of his name, which doesn’t project a “corporate” image, reports La Canfora. Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia could also be denied jobs due to his shaggy look, which doesn’t fit the NFL’s CEO culture.

10 Coaching Candidates For The Rams

December 13th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Zachary Links

In an iconic scene from season nine of The Simpsons, Krusty the Klown announced his retirement to a scrum of not-so-stunned reporters.

“But Krusty,” one reporter asks. “Why now? Why not twenty years ago?”

It wouldn’t have been out of place for any Rams beat reporter to channel that sentiment and ask a similar question of COO Kevin Demoff when he addressed the media on Monday. Jeff Fisher‘s dismissal was long overdue and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone outside of the coach’s family who disagrees.

For now, the Rams will turn things over to special teams coordinator John Fassel on an interim basis. While this is ostensibly a chance for Fassel to impress team brass and land the head coaching job for 2017, most are expecting the Rams to hire a name brand coach that will energize the fan base and give the team some additional panache in free agency.

With a few weeks to go between now and the official end of the Rams’ season, here are ten names that could be considered for the job:

Jim Harbaugh, head coach at the University of Michigan: Some say that living well is the best revenge. Others say that the best revenge against your former employer is setting up shop across the street and destroying them. Santa Clara-to-Los Angeles is a lengthy drive, but you get what we’re getting at.

Harbaugh, in theory, could leave his alma mater and crush the 49ers by joining up with a divisional rival. The Rams have reportedly been loafing in practice and Harbaugh is the kind of throwback disciplinarian that the team badly needs. It’s fair to assume that the Rams will get in contact with Harbaugh, but it will be tough to get him to leave his lucrative job in Ann Arbor.

With National Signing Day around the corner, Harbaugh could publicly remove himself himself from consideration if he is not at all interested in an NFL return. Alternatively, if Harbaugh wants to get sweet revenge against the Niners, Stan Kroenke better have his checkbook ready. Signing Harbaugh could cost upwards of $10MM/year and that’s before factoring in his buyout clause with the Wolverines. If Harbaugh bolts, he’ll owe U-M the prorated portion of his $2MM signing bonus. With two of the seven years served, 5/7ths of that amount comes out to roughly $1.43MM.

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Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator for the Patriots: Harbaugh figures to be one of the league’s hottest coaching candidates this offseason. His first foray into coaching didn’t go as planned with the Broncos, but he’s no longer a doe-eyed youngster in his 30s and he has rebuilt his rep as an offensive guru in New England. The Rams mortgaged their future a bit for No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff and it is imperative that they put him on the right track. The Rams could see McDaniels as the right man to groom the Cal product and McDaniels could be intrigued by the possibility of working with one of the league’s most talented young running backs in Todd Gurley.

Jon Gruden, former NFL head coach/current ESPN analyst: Gruden is under contract with ESPN through 2021, but his deal does not preclude him from pursuing coaching opportunities. The Monday Night Football color man has turned down coaching advances in the past, but those close to Gruden say he would listen to a pitch from the Rams, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. Gruden has been in the booth for seven years, but anyone who has tuned into MNF knows that his passion for the game has not waned. Like McDaniels, Gruden could be a positive influence on Goff. Like Harbaugh, he’ll cost quite a bit of money.

Pete Carroll, Seahawks head coach: As unlikely as it sounds, there is precedent for this sort of thing. It’s not clear if Carroll is interested in going back to Cali, but the Rams would love to have him.

Kyle Shanahan, Falcons offensive coordinator: As the Rams consider coaches, they should probably give some thought to hiring the guy who embarrassed them into finally firing Fisher. Shanahan’s Atlanta offense ripped up the L.A. D on Sunday, giving the Falcons the highest offensive DVOA of any team in the league through Week 14.

David Shaw, head coach at Stanford University: If the Rams can’t land Harbaugh, how about getting the coach who replaced him at Stanford? Since taking over the job, Shaw is 63-17 and his credits include the collegiate grooming of Andrew Luck. Right now, there’s no indication that Shaw is looking to leave Stanford. It’s also worth noting that Stanford doubled Shaw’s salary from 2013 to 2014, so they have shown a willingness to do what it takes to keep him.

Jim Bob Cooter, Lions offensive coordinator: Blessed with the best name in the NFL, the Lions OC figures to garner tons of attention this offseason after guiding Matthew Stafford to the best season of his career. Cooter’s youthful energy will work in his favor. His age, however, could hurt him when it comes to head coaching consideration.

He won’t turn 33 until July and he would be the sixth-youngest man to ever become an NFL head coach in the modern era, slotting him ahead of McDaniels on that list. He’s also been arrested twice: once for a DUI and once for an aggravated burglary charge after he “climbed through a woman’s window, stripped down to his underwear, and got into bed with [a] woman,” according to CBS8. It should be noted that he has avoided all legal trouble since joining the NFL ranks.

Teryl Austin, Lions defensive coordinator: Always a bride’s maid, never a bride? Last year, Austin interviewed for four head coaching jobs and he implied that he felt two of those clubs were only talking to him to satisfy the Rooney Rule. This year, the Lions are 9-4 and atop the NFC North and this could be the year that Austin gets his big break. Popular thinking is that the Rams will go with an offensive-minded coach to help develop Goff, but it’s still possible that they could hire a head coach like Austin to get the most out of their talented D-Line.

Sean McVay, Redskins offensive coordinator: McVay won’t turn 31 until January, but this offensive guru has turned heads around the league now that he has gotten two strong seasons out of quarterback Kirk Cousins. Expect Washington to put up a fight if any team tries to swoop in on McVay. You can also expect some hesitation from interested clubs given his age and relative lack of coaching experience. If hired as a head coach this offseason, McVay would be the youngest man to ever hold an NFL head coaching job in the modern era. He might also be younger than a player or two on next year’s roster.

John Fassel, Rams special teams coordinator/interim head coach: As the man with the interim title, Fassel has to be included on this list. He may not offer the star power of the other coaches listed here, but he’ll at least be in the running if the Rams can find success in their final three games. L.A. closes out the season against the Seahawks (Thursday night), 49ers, and Cardinals. The Rams have not defeated an NFC West opponent since Oct. 2 when they beat the Cards 17-13. Since that intra-divisional W, the Rams have gone 1-8.

Other names to keep in mind: If the Rams want to go with a defense-oriented coach, they could be one of several teams to interview Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia this spring…Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst has gotten some NFL buzz…Besides Austin, Fritz Pollard candidate Anthony Lynn (Bills) could be considered…Rob Chudzinski didn’t last long as Cleveland’s head coach, but the Colts offensive coordinator is highly-respected around the league.

East Notes: Stills, McVay, Vereen

November 27th, 2016 at 12:13pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a quick swing around the league’s east divisions:

The Dolphins will try to retain impending free agent Kenny Stills, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Head coach Adam Gase loves Stills, who has become one of the league’s better deep threats, but depending on how aggressive the bidding on Stills becomes, Jackson writes that Miami could let him seek his fortune elsewhere and try to replace him with Leonte Carroo.
Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch will continue to play as he appeals his recent four-game suspension, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports that the appeal is expected to be heard within the next month. That means that New England could lose Branch very late in the season and into the playoffs, which begs the question of whether it would be better for the team if Branch simply accepts his suspension now so that he is sure to be back for the stretch run. Branch, though, needs to do what is best for him, as the suspension could cost him about $1.13MM and could hurt his market when he reaches free agency this spring.
Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay is not exactly a household name outside of the nation’s capital, but his work with Kirk Cousins and his development of Washington’s proficient offense is garnering attention around the league, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Per La Canfora, the 30-year-old McVay is viewed as a coaching prodigy, and he is expected to get interviews for head coaching gigs at the end of the year if the Redskins’ offense continues performing at a high level.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter passes along another interesting detail about Matt Forte‘s brief flirtation with the Patriots. According to Schefter, Forte flew into New Jersey to meet with the Jets on the first day of free agency, and Gang Green decided to sign him. However, there were some concerns about the condition of Forte’s knee during the physical, and the Jets did not rush to get the paperwork done. That made Forte a bit antsy, and he made plans to board a plane and visit the Patriots. But when New York learned of those plans, the team’s concerns with Forte’s knee suddenly evaporated and Forte was handed his contract.
Giants RB Shane Vereen, currently on IR, could be on his way back to the field. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Giants are optimistic Vereen can return for the club’s December 11 matchup with Dallas.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Vick, Leary, McVay

August 5th, 2016 at 9:15am CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys guard Ronald Leary was looking for a trade earlier this offseason so that he could have an opportunity to start elsewhere. On Thursday, the veteran said that he still wants to be a starter, Drew Davison of the Star Telegram writes.

When asked if he feels he’s playing for 31 other teams right now, Leary said: “I’m playing football. Like I said, I’m just playing football. That’s all it is. “I know I’m a starter in this league, so I just approach it like I’m a starter. I make sure I’m ready for whatever comes my way. As far as all the trade talks and everything, that’s just going to happen.”

This week, we learned that the Saints have been pursuing Leary for some time, so it’s possible that Leary could get his wish. For now, however, the 27-year-old is buried behind starter La’el Collins.

Here’s more out of the NFC East:

So far, the Cowboys have not inquired on free agent quarterback Michael Vick, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. Vick, 36, has expressed his desire to play one final year and he says he wouldn’t extend his career past 2016. In other words, if no clubs come calling this year, he’ll retire.
For his part, Vick says that he hopes to hear from the Cowboys and would love the opportunity to serve as the No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo. “I just want to put the helmet on one more time and dedicate myself to football,” Vick told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Michael David Smith of PFT).
At the age of 30, Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay is on pace to become one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history, Andy Benoit of The MMQB writes. McVay also has the endorsement of quarterback Kirk Cousins. “I could be here a long time talking about Sean’s help in my development and his ability to call plays for our offense and lead our offense,” says Cousins. “In the 2015 offseason I was coming off a year when I had been benched halfway through and was going into the next year with the chance to really only compete as a backup. I was a little disappointed with that and Sean was a great encourager through that process, challenging me to stay the course. I think his belief in me and his support and his encouragement was what enabled me to eventually have the opportunities that I had.”
Eagles UDFA defensive end Connor Wujciak had shoulder surgery on Wednesday and is out for the season, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.